Spool for endless film



March 21, 1961 19 I M. r;

G. GALLUZZI SPOOL FOR ENDLESS FILM Filed Jan. 5, 1959 0 IT u'un INVENTOR.

Patented Mar. 21, 1961 SPOOL FOR ENDLESS FILM Gustavo Galluzzi, A. Giambrocono, Via Durini 4, Milan, Italy Filed Jan. 5, 1959, Ser. No. 784,948

1 Claim. 01. 242-5519 This invention relates to a spool for endless film, particularly, but not exclusively, designed to be fitted on motion-picture projectors, viewers and like, for example on portable or pocket type viewers.

One object of this invention consists in the provision of a film-spool of the above specified type, presenting the advantage of increased film capacity compared with conventional types, thereby allowing the motion picture viewing period to be greatly extended.

Another object of the invention consists in the provision of a film-spool of the above-stated type which presents, in comparison with conventional types, the advantage that it allows the film to be wound and unwound without suflering any distortion in respect to the diametral plane of the film-spool.

As an indirect advantage thereof, the film can be wound and unwound without any appreciable drag, thus materially increasing its life and minimizing any danger of breakage or permanent deformation.

A further object of the invention consists in the provision of a film-spool of the above stated type, presenting the advantage ofv cheap and easy manufacture, quick assembly, and long life, as required for low-priced equipment, and in general for toys, for which this invention is of particular importance.

The further objects, advantages and features of the invention will be better appreciated from a consideration of the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a film-spool according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the film-spool as shown in Fig. 1, in the assembled condition.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the diaphragm designed to separate the two caps from which the film-spool is formed.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the first, or drum-supporting, cap of the film-spool.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the second cap of the spool.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the film driving drum.

Fig. 7 is a side view of the drum shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 shows diagrammatically, how the film is wound and unwound from the spool according to the invention.

Referringnow to the above mentioned drawings, the film-spool according to the present invention, generally indicated with the reference character B, consists mainly of two essentially cylindrical caps, 10 and 11, which will be hereinafter referred to as the first cap and the second cap respectively. As clearly shown in Fig. l, a separating diaphragm 12 is fitted in a pre-determined position, between said first cap and said second cap. A substantially annular space 13 is defined by said diaphragm and by the cap 10, and a similarly shaped space 14 is defined, again by the samediaphragm and by the cap 11. As explained in more detail later, the perforated film, generally designated by 15, and having conventional perforations 350, is coiled withinthe said spaces. In the embodiment shown, the diaphragm 12, having a substantially semicircular slit 16, and a central opening for the shaft 18 designed to drive the drum 23, can be mounted in a pre-determined position with respect to both caps 10 and 11, by means of pins 19, which are inserted in suitably shaped recesses 20 formed all along the peripheral edges of both caps.

Thus, a friction connection means between the caps 10, 11 and the diaphragm 12 is obtained.

A projecting guide 30, having a circular contour concentric with the axis A-A of the film-spool, is formed inside the cap 10.

An annular groove 21 is cut in the part 30a of said guide 30 and is designed to accommodate the teeth of winding-unwinding drum 23, while the remaining portion 39b is so arranged as to leave a gap 33.

As clearly shown in Fig. 1, the drum 23 is fitted inside the cap 10, and abuts against the diaphragm 12.

As shown in more detail in Figs. 2, 4 and 5, a slit 53 is cut in the peripheral portion of cap 10, while a further slit 34 is cut in the peripheral portion of cap 11. An axial bush 35, formed inside the cap 11, is designed to accommodate the end 18a of shaft 18, and to act as a stop for the diaphragm 12, as well as to act as a guide hub for that part of the film wound in the space 14.

For loading the film into the endless spool, a length of film, shown by a solid line in Fig. 8, is first of all wound around the guide 30.

The last turn of film, shown by a dash-dot line in Fig. 8, is passed through the gap 33, and then wound about the drum 23, on the teeth 22, whereupon same film is passed through the slit 16 of the diaphragm 12. The remaining film is then wound about the hub 35, and its end is passed through the gap 34, and spliced to the corresponding end of the length of film wound about the guide 30; as shown by Fig. 2 the end of the length of film. wound around the guide 30 has been passed through gap 53.

It will be appreciated that the length of film, wound in the space 14 of the cap 11, is represented by a line of dashes in Fig. 8, while the outside portion of film is represented by dots.

The operation of a filrn-spool according to the invention is as follows:

By turning the driving shaft 18 in a clockwise direction (see Fig. 8), the film is wound into the space 13, due to the teeth 22 of the drum 23 entering into engagement with the perforations 350 of the film 15, the shaft 18 and the drum 23 being the only movingparts of the mechanism. In other words, the film (see arrow f) enters the space 13 through the gap 53, and is wound round the guide 30. At the same time the turns or coils of film that are wound about the driving drum 23, more precisely the turns shown with a dash-dot line in Fig. 8, are made to pass through the slit 16 cut in the diaphragm 12, and are then wound about the hub 35. Thus, as can be readily appreciated, the film wound in the space 14 will come out of the slit 34 (see arrow F). Obviously, the length of film 15 that is fed into the space 13 (arrow 1) is the same as the length that comes out of space 14 (see arrow F).

It should be noted that the length of film engaged by the teeth 22, and adjacent to portion 30a of the guide in which the groove 21 is formed, will positively prevent any disengagement of film from the drum 23, thereby ensuring a continuous and steady drive throughout the whole run of the film.

The external portion of film, i.e. the length of film indicated with a dotted line in Fig. 8, can be passed through a viewer of the motion picture type, thereby obtaining a practically continuous motion picture. As will be readily appreciated, the said external length of film,

indicated with dots, runs practically along the diametral plane MN of contact of the two caps 10, 11, and thus it is neither distorted, nor bent, which would otherwise cause, in'the long run, serious damage to the whole film. Moreover, central positioning with respect to the motion picture viewer, is made possible, which results in considerable advantages from both the operational and aesthetic points of view.

Moreover, as stated before, the provision of two caps, each designed to accommodate a large number of turns of film, permits the storage of much greater lengths of film than those which can be wound on conventional devices. The embodiment shown and described must be considered only as a non-restrictive example of the invention. In particular, recourse might be made to means other than those described, to secure and locate the caps 10, 11 and the diaphragm 12 with respect to each other.

Also, means other than those described might be resorted to for driving the drum 23. Thus, for example, an axial extension, designed to operate as a driving shaft, might be formed from the same drum and might be integral therewith.

What I claim is:

A spool for an end-less film comprising in combination a film, a cylindrical film intake cap adapted to receive a plurality of turns of said film and provided with a slot for the intake of film thereinto and a part-circular housing concentric with the center of said intake cap, a rotatable film driving drum having a toothed periphery, said driving drum being rotatably mounted within said part-circular housing, a shaft for rotating said driving drum and adapted to project out of said intake cap, a cylindrical film issue cap substantially the same size as said intake cap, said issue cap being adapted to receive a plurality of turns of film and being provided with a slot for the issue of film therefrom, a circular diaphragm having an arcuate slot substantially concentric with the center of said diaphragm and of said intake and issue caps, and means for locating and fastening said intake and issue caps and said diaphragm to each other to form a cylindrical unit, one end of said film being introduced through said intake slot into said intake cap, coiled about said part-circular housing, with a part of the innermost turn of said film being led to engage a part of said toothed periphery of said driving drum, thence being led through said iarcuate slot in said diaphragm into said issue cap, thence being led out of said issue cap through said issue slot, that free end of the film thence being spliced to the free end of the film entering said intake cap.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,762,934 Seel June 10, 1930 2,115,503 Von Mihaly Apr. 26, 1938 2,311,204 Bouma Feb. 16, 1943 2,464,965 Chemel Mar. 22, 1949 2,791,423 Eddy May 7, 1957 2,817,516 Daniel Dec. 24, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 344,350 Great Britain Feb. 26, 1931 

